Writing Wednesdays

Previous post Fun writing Friday

~~~~~~~~Summer, 1910~~~~~~~~~~~

  It was a typical summer. Mr. and Mrs. Harrington had spent the season in London as they typically did attending the most fashionable events their money could afford. After a short visit to Southerton they left their children to attend a hunting party in Scotland. Mr. Harrington claimed it was important for his business connection, but business was hardly on his mind as enjoyment was his true pursuit. Mrs. Harrington was perfect partner for Mr. Harrington on this as she great joy in frivolity. Mr. and Mrs. Harrington also agreed that they found their four children to travel with especially when they had Mrs. Gardner, a diligent care take to watch over them. So the Harrington children spent most of their summers alone. As it was the last bit of summer Marcus and Parker were to return to Eton College in a few weeks and the children made every effort to make the most of it.

                On this particular day Marcus, who was sixteen and should have known better had stolen Mr. Harrington's new atlas from the library and perched himself on a large rock that for years had been called Captain's Throne. When they were younger Marcus, Parker, and Shane had formed an explorers club and swore they were going to see the world and find new lands. Over the years only Marcus kept this dream alive but once Marcus showed the boys the new atlas with its gold trimmed papers and new country lines, the explorers talked as if they were children again.

                "Everyday people are discovering new lands and we can be the next great explorers!" Marcus spoke daringly to his comrades.

                "There are no new lands, Marcus, just government powers changing hands," Parker snorted.

                Thomas Edward Parker Welford, Parker as we called him was far too sensible for the dreams Marcus talked about. He never seemed to have much in mind for progress and change. He was the Earl's heir and found it only decent to keep up traditions. Sometimes Parker sounded as if the Jacobins were still beheading nobles and if progress maintained they would be coming after him and all nobility.

                "That's not true look at these parts of Africa and the Indies that haven't been touched by any Europeans. We could claim them."

                "We cannot claim them, we are servants to his majesty and if we find any new land it will belong to the Commonwealth, not to us personally," Parker was quick to respond.

                "He's right you know," Shane said.

                Shane Gray, who was then seventeen, and practically a grown up in the eyes of Mattie. They had all grown up together so the age difference did not always matter but sometimes Shane was far more logical than the rest of them. He was usually the voice of reason between Marcus' idealism and Parker's sensible and rather harsh thinking. Though Shane was reasonable  he too had grand ambitions of leaving his servants status and know the world's options so he often favored Marcus' ideals over Parker.

                "I for one cannot imagine having any interest in seeing such barbaric places," Daphne said in a conceited tone.

                "Well no one asked you," Marcus shouted down to her.

                Daphne, who was the fifteen, was in a phase of becoming a young lady. Her dresses were now at least ankle length and if she attended a dinner she could now wear dresses with a demi-train. She now constrained herself to tight fisted rules of propriety. She could no longer go tramping through the woods, or wading in the creek. She would not allow her dresses to have a mud stain or a rip. Though Mattie could never remember a time when Daphne was ever so careless as to stain or rip her dress. Today Daphne was wearing her cream shirtwaist blouse  with a light violet skirt, and highly impractical shoes. Daphne had tried to climb the rock and be a part of the explorers club but it was impossible in her outfit that she wouldn't dare ruin.

                "Be nice to her," Shane said. "Women cannot imagine the thrill of discovering new lands."

                Shane, the real reason why Daphne wanted to climb on Daphne on Captain's Throne. They had grown up together and for the most part Shane was like an older brother to her but last winter Shane saved Daphne's life (as she put it) and now she was head over heels in love with him. Though Daphne never admitted it and thought it was a great secret. Unfortunately for Daphne all the party had know about it, even Shane, however he was close to three years her senior and he hardly noticed her. That didn't put Daphne out, she did everything she could to get Shane's attention. In that morning she had spent two hours primping herself for our hour or so in the back woods. She had braided her hair down her back making sure her curls were perfectly around her face. She had even put on some of mother's rouge and perfume. It had not made the impact Daphne had hoped for, for Mattie had heard Shane snicker about how the rouge made her look like a clown and the perfume had made him want to chop off his nose. At that moment Mattie had wanted to push Shane in the creek with all the sisterly affection she could muster.

                Besides Shane's harsh jokes, that Mattie had overheard, Shane barely noticed Daphne that day because of Mr. Harrington atlas. Daphne had been left to her own devices of picking flowers to determine Shane's feelings. A waste of a good flower Mattie thought. Mattie was too young, at twelve to understand, why her sister liked a boy especially when it was so clear he did not like her in return. Shane had actually had had a crush on Susan Sedly, a girl from town who had paled around with Daphne  during picnics and such. Though Daphne dissolved all kindness towards her when she found out Shane kissed her at the May Day picnic. Even though Daphne had heard that Susan had given Shane two hard slaps she still did not renew her kindness. Now for the past few weeks Daphne had heard nothing of Susan's name from Shane and that made Daphne hope again. Mattie silently laughed at Daphne's behavior and how idiotic it all seemed.

                Though nothing extraordinary happened, and the days all seemed to blend together one right after the next with a few minor highlights of the years that passed, in all this these were the grand days for the Harrington children at Southerton. Without Mr. and Mrs. Harrington present they were under the  care of Mrs. Gardner, and in the heat of summer she was known for taking long naps and expected the children to do the same. Instead many times they snuck a few pastries and would run away to the back woods not stopping for any breath. It was here they would plot out the grand adventures they desired for their lives.

                Mattie, was at the age when the idea of adventure began to creep into her brain. She loved her home of Southerton Greens and really could not imagine her life apart from it. It had been in the family since Charles II and while it wasn't grand like Cranston Court it was still a prized estate. Southerton was built in the high days of Georgian Architecture with tall columns along the front making it look like a Romanesque temple in a beautiful English garden. Large enough that on miserably cold or weary rainy days Mattie still enjoyed finding nooks and crannies to hide in for hours on end. Mattie's grandfather used to tell her that Southerton wasn't just a home or an estate it was part of her blood as a Harrington. She remembered those words clearly and could never really envision leaving but still dreams of exploration began to creep into her mind and she started to imagine what the world beyond Southerton looked like. 

Mattie running to the back woods
{pic}